By Ori Martins
The sporting world has a unique way of dramatically shaping the general outcome of what happens globally; be it socioeconomic, religio-political or cultural.
Sports, especially football, is now generally acknowledged as a global unifier, even as it most times signals a dangerous inclination. That is, football’s revolution can be good disposition or bad omen.
Since the World Cup began in 1930 to date, football is perhps the one single factor that brings people of diverse ethnic background and different religious beliefs together. It unifies and on few occasions it has equally disunited a people who hithertho did things in common and in one accord.
This unification comes with it, a certain revolutionary outburst often times denominated by shocking football results.
Exactly 10 years ago in England, clearly unknown Leicester City, in the 2015/16 English Premier League, emerged champions. That season in all Europe, there were new champions in all the major league competions.
Politically, in Nigeria, for the first time in history, an opposition party, the APC, ousted a ruling party, the PDP, in a presidential election. Since then, Nigeria has never been the same. Insecurity has worsened. Inflation has skyrocketed. Joblessness is astronomically on the increase just as depresion, hunger and hopelessness are dealing with Nigerians endlessly.
As the globe was getting set for the epic World Cup Finals in France wich the Blues ultimately lifted in a most astonishing fashion, Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, witnessed an increasingly a socioeconomic political turning point.
In a manner surely indiscribable, the two leading gladiators in the country’s unfortunate political quagmire, the head of state, Gen Sani Abacha, and the presummed winner of the controversial June 12, 1993 presidential election, Chief MKO Abiola, mysteriously died in June, July, 1998.
Therefore, the French 1998 World Cup victory for the first time brought about political liberation in Nigeria and to Nigerians in general. That particular World Cup episode, with all of its striking events and attendant historics, nevertheless, replicated an outstanding political order, a fresh dispensation and a structured headway, though not solid – the exiting military regime of Gen Abudusalami Abubakar called it nascent democracy.
Again, the superlative performance of Manchester United in the 1998/99 football season in both England and Europe must be appropriately linked with the sociopolitical setting in Nigeria, resulting in the Olusegun Obasanjo’s return as civilian president in 1999. It was Alex Ferguson’s first UCL title and he savoured it in an uncanny manner, fitting for such a glorious occasion.
Muhammed Ali, the man whose social activities alongside Martin Luther King, sensationally changed the course of America, particularly the Blacks, unceremoniously stormed the Olympic Games in 1960 in Rome and returned home a hero, bedecked in boxing gold medal. It was the same 1960 that Nigeria and a few other African countries got their respective independence from Britain and France.
There is a concept known as The Famous Miracle on Ice referring to the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York. In that competition, the American Men’s Ice Hockey Team tenaciously defeated the seemingly unbeatable Soviet Union Team 4-3 on February 22, 1980, before going on to win the gold medal.
Do not forget that 1980 was spectacularly remarkable for America as it was the beginning of a new era following the election of Roland President Regean. Regean’s emergence coincided with the threats of Iran against the United States of America, climaxing in the arrest and detention of American nationals for months unending.
Americans of all walks of life frontally condemned and instantly condemned President Jimy Carter’s idea of beseeching Iranian authorities for the relese of US nationals. It was that account that Carter’s opponents used against him and launched a critical campaign for his exit.
So, the victory of US hockey team over USSR was seen as a lucky pad that compelled Regean’s election who in turn restored America’s greatness on the international scene.
In fact, two of the greatest goals of the World Cup were scored in 1986 by Diego Maradona in the quarter-finals against England. The first was the famous hand of God goal which England still protests to date. The other was entertaining and largely creative goal where Maradona dribbled all English defenders before sending goalkeeper Peter Shilton to the wrong side.
That game was a deciding factor between Argentina and England as both countries clashed over diplomatic issues.
In order words, Arsenal’s EPL crown after 22 years and subsequent UCL final qualification is a confirmation that Nigeria’s tragectory will certinly usher in a new order in 2027. This is a historical fact.
